A federal judge dismissed the Trump administration’s lawsuit challenging Boston’s sanctuary-city Trust Act, ruling that an injunction wouldn’t extend police authority beyond state law and wouldn’t allow officers to detain individuals for ICE detainers.

Boston’s Trust Act, first adopted in 2014 and reaffirmed in late 2024, limits cooperation between the Boston Police Department and federal immigration authorities, including actions by ICE and sharing residents’ information.

Public Rights Project spokesperson Jill Habig called the ruling a victory for the rule of law and for local governments.

Public Rights Project defended Boston in the suit, framing the ruling as a win for local governance against federal overreach.

Habig, founder of Public Rights Project, praised the decision as upholding local authority against federal intrusion.

The Department of Justice argued the policy inflicted sovereign harm by delaying immigration enforcement and sought a court order to bar enforcement.

This is a developing story, with reporting rooted in Associated Press coverage.

The decision references prior sanctuary-city designations and lawsuits, placing the ruling in the broader national debate over local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

The judge noted that changes could come through state legislation, federal action, or a future court ruling revisiting precedents like the Lunn decision.

The ruling represents another setback for the Trump administration in challenging sanctuary policies, adding to a string of losses in similar cases.

Local officials, including the mayor, framed the ruling as a legal victory for cities opposing broad immigration enforcement actions.

The decision fits a pattern of DOJ losses in sanctuary-related suits elsewhere, undermining standing or legal grounds in states like Colorado, Illinois, and New York.